A GLASS processing firm has seen turnover jump by 70 per cent thanks to a £400,000 investment.

Conservatory Coloured Glass installed an electric glass toughening plant at its Blackburn factory.

Before then, the firm had always bought its toughened glass in from Ireland which added up to four days to the time needed to produce a customer's order.

Bosses at the firm consulted Norweb's Emtec technology centre in Chorley before investing in the new machine.

"We anticipated a 50 per cent increase in business by 2001 but way exceeded the forecast just two months after production started," said Dave Bradshaw, managing director of CCG, of Centurion Court.

"Product quality has improved and because we are not transporting the glass there are less breakages. The new plant has definitely given us an advantage over the competition."

Now the firm's achievement has won it a place on the shortlist of Norweb's Business Energy Awards due to be announced in October.

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